[Boston—Friday, 22 July 1864]
Friday July 23 [sic]. Boston. Laura Johnson her husband, baby and nurse with us. Lovely days! Days full of suffering for the country but we all are ready to do what we can and Laura has given her dearest and for these few days we are looking at the glory and loveliness of God’s world and learning to praise Him for “his wonderful goodness to the children of men.”
Night before last we passed the evening at the Dana’s in Cambridge. J. R. Lowell and Mr Dana both consider Thoreau as a man of small genius indeed they think the word misapplied when directed to him. L. says “he went in the wrong direction; men would become pigs if they continued as he led!!!” I don’t believe they either of them ever read his books.
Edmund Kirke otherwise Gilmore has been chosen by the President to go to Jeff. Davis and see about a peace! A pretender, a rascal, a bohemian!!! Alas! he is doing his best today to scare the community. What sad days are these.
